TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

II - Chapter 27

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Yotam was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Yerushalayim; his mother's name was Jerushah daughter of Tzadok.

אבֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה יוֹתָם בְּמָלְכוֹ וְשֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ ִם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ יְרוּשָׁה בַּת־צָדוֹק׃

2He did what was pleasing to Hashem just as his father Uzziyahu had done, but he did not enter the Temple of Hashem; however, the people still acted corruptly.

va-YA-as ha-ya-SHAR b'-ay-NAY a-do-NAI k'-KHOL a-SHER a-SAH u-zi-YA-hu a-VEEV RAK lo VA el hay-KHAL a-do-NAI v'-OD ha-AM mash-khee-TEEM

בוַיַּעַשׂ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה עֻזִּיָּהוּ אָבִיו רַק לֹא־בָא אֶל־הֵיכַל יְהֹוָה וְעוֹד הָעָם מַשְׁחִיתִים׃

27:2   The people still acted corruptly

While Yotam is remembered as a good and righteous king, he fails to influence the people in a significant way. In fact, the people continue their rebellions against Hashem and His worship. As is clear throughout Tanakh, a king is in a unique position to have significant impact on his subjects. Chizkiyahu, for example, is able to create positive change, bringing the nation to a spiritual state that they had not reached since the days of Shlomo. Menashe, on the other hand, leads the people to a spiritual low point. Therefore, though Yotam is considered a good king, he is remembered as a king who failed in his mission to cause the people to repent. Doing what is right is not enough; we must influence and inspire others to do so as well.

3It was he who built the Upper Gate of the House of Hashem; he also built extensively on the wall of Ophel.

גהוּא בָּנָה אֶת־שַׁעַר בֵּית־יְהֹוָה הָעֶלְיוֹן וּבְחוֹמַת הָעֹפֶל בָּנָה לָרֹב׃

4He built towns in the hill country of Yehuda, and in the woods he built fortresses and towers.

דוְעָרִים בָּנָה בְּהַר־יְהוּדָה וּבֶחֳרָשִׁים בָּנָה בִּירָנִיּוֹת וּמִגְדָּלִים׃

5Moreover, he fought with the king of the Ammonites and overcame them; the Ammonites gave him that year 100 kikarim of silver and 10,000 kor of wheat and another 10,000 of barley; that is what the Ammonites paid him, and [likewise] in the second and third years.

הוְהוּא נִלְחַם עִם־מֶלֶךְ בְּנֵי־עַמּוֹן וַיֶּחֱזַק עֲלֵיהֶם וַיִּתְּנוּ־לוֹ בְנֵי־עַמּוֹן בַּשָּׁנָה הַהִיא מֵאָה כִּכַּר־כֶּסֶף וַעֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים כֹּרִים חִטִּים וּשְׂעוֹרִים עֲשֶׂרֶת אֲלָפִים זֹאת הֵשִׁיבוּ לוֹ בְּנֵי עַמּוֹן וּבַשָּׁנָה הַשֵּׁנִית וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית׃

6Yotam was strong because he maintained a faithful course before Hashem his God.

ווַיִּתְחַזֵּק יוֹתָם כִּי הֵכִין דְּרָכָיו לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיו׃

7The other events of Yotam's reign, and all his battles and his conduct, are recorded in the book of the kings of Yisrael and Yehuda.

זוְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יוֹתָם וְכָל־מִלְחֲמֹתָיו וּדְרָכָיו הִנָּם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר מַלְכֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוּדָה׃

8He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Yerushalayim.

חבֶּן־עֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה הָיָה בְמָלְכוֹ וְשֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ ִם׃

9Yotam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David; his son Achaz succeeded him as king.

טוַיִּשְׁכַּב יוֹתָם עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֹתוֹ בְּעִיר דָּוִיד וַיִּמְלֹךְ אָחָז בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃